Broad-leaved Helleborine

Epipactis helleborine

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
For more information please download the BSBI Code of Conduct PDF document.

Plant Data

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Order:

Asparagales

Family:

Orchidaceae (Orchid)

Also in this family:

Autumn Lady's Tresses, Bee Orchid, Common Fragrant Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Common Twayblade, Dark Red Helleborine, Dune Helleborine, Early Marsh Orchid, Early Purple Orchid, Fly Orchid, Greater Butterfly Orchid, Green-winged Orchid, Heath Fragrant Orchid, Heath Spotted Orchid, Lady's-slipper Orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Northern Marsh Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Southern Marsh Orchid

Type:

Flower

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Maximum Size:

80 centimetres tall

Habitats:

Roadsides, scrub, swamps, woodland.

Flower:

Pink, 5 petals

Broader than long green pointed sepals with a heart-shaped lip curving backwards, petals pink or purple, forming a long one-sided spike.

Fruit:

A nodding capsule filled with powder-like seeds.

Leaves:

Alternate, stalkless, untoothed leaves. The smaller upper leaves are ovate and tapering. Parallel veins.

Other Names:

Bastard Hellebore, Broadleaf Helleborine, Common Helleborine, Eastern Helleborine, Weed Orchid.

Frequency (UK):

Common

Distribution Map

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

Click to open an Interactive Map